Bridport Christmas Cheer returns today as the town kicks off its festive celebrations

HARBOUR users across Dorset are facing a rise in fees next year as Dorset Council looks to implement a minimum 3.4% increase across Bridport, Lyme Regis and Weymouth harbours.

Organisers behind much-loved community events including West Bay Weekend, Pirates Day and the annual firework spectacular have announced an impressive fundraising total of £30,000

FEARS have been raised that budget changes and on-going financial pressures could result in more Dorset pub closures

A PROPOSAL to install solar photovoltaic panels on the rear-facing roof slopes of a property in East Street, Bridport has been refused.

A WEST Dorset farm shop is asking for a licence to be able to sell alcohol.

A great turnout was had for a village pub that hosted a light-switch on with possibly one of the tallest Christmas trees going

Reports of a fire involving manure prompted a quick-time response from firefighters in west Dorset

A hospital in Dorset is preparing as doctors in England are set to down tools for the second time in two months with five consecutive days of strikes planned in the run-up to Christmas

A road has been blocked following a fallen tree near Broadwindsor

Firefighters came to the rescue of someone who rolled their mobility scooter down an embankment in west Dorset

Dorset Police are urging communities to work together and report drink and drug drivers as their campaign to crackdown on incidents over the Christmas period begins

Flood alerts have been issued across Dorset as heavy rain sweeps its way across the county

A Dorset hospice has announced the return of its annual Treecycle initiative

Chris Garrick Music will play a gig at a Dorset village hall on Friday, December 12.

A popular pizza delivery in Bridport has suddenly announced it has shut down

Heavy rain is expected to sweep Dorset as a weather warning has been issued

An interactive map created by an independent organisation of scientists and journalists, collectively known as Climate Central, shows areas of the country that could be under sea level by the end of 2030.

A very rare building on the Dorset coast at Charmouth - The Look Out - is one of only six left in the country

Fears are growing for local businesses as two fishmongers serving Bridport have announced their shock closure

A beautiful manor house in west Dorset has won a prestigious award for showcasing heritage and keeping people interested in local history

HOURLY train services on the railway line that passes through Axminster and Crewkerne have resumed after problems with the track were fixed.

A police appeal has been issued over the theft of farming equipment near Beaminster

The Pymore Inn is hosting a Christmas light switch-on with a huge tree bigger than the famous Norwegian spruce in London.

The Mapperton Christmas Market is returning to Mapperton House and Gardens, Beaminster on Saturday, November 29 from 10am-6pm and Sunday, November 30 from 10am-4pm.

AN OSCAR-WINNING playwright has died in his Dorset home.

A probate and trustees public notice has been published following the death of a man from Bridport

Czech-born British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard has died at the age of 88, United Agents have confirmed.

Mould and damp can be a big problem in the winter, but plants such as the Areca Palm can help absorb some of the humidity out of the air to prevent it

Bridport’s much loved festive event is soon to return to officially kick of the Christmas celebrations

WEATHER warnings have been issued across Dorset over the coming days

Two exciting events are being hosted by the organisers of Bridport Dance Festival

THE next steps to transform a playing field into a 'vibrant sporting hub' have been completed.

THERE are concerns that salmon could be extinct from the River Frome in 30 years after record low numbers were counted for the second successive year

Chancellor Rachel Reeves removes high end cars from Motability Scheme in a move which makes people with disabilities feel like they are unworthy.

A FAMILY in Lyme Regis been left 'heartbroken' after the 'tragic and unexpected' death of their son.

A TRACTOR has been completely destroyed after it burst into flames on the outskirts of Bridport.

DORSET Council’s finance portfolio holder, Chickerell councillor Simon Clifford, says the budget has been a ‘bitter disappointment ‘ for the county.

A FIRE at a derelict hotel in Seaton is believed to have been set deliberately after posing 'a large risk' to the public.

TRAINS have once again been delayed and cancelled between Weymouth and London Waterloo

PLANS are being prepared for a Special Educational Needs (SEN) farm at Mountjoy School, Beaminster.

A CHANGE from a barn to an indoor play area is among the series of planning proposals submitted to Dorset Council, for properties and land use in the Bridport and Charmouth areas.

A writer from Bridport has published a heart-warming book about navigating the world as a neurodiverse person

Light Up a Life services will be held by Weldmar in Lyme Regis and Bridport this week to remember loved ones

A road in Ryall, west Dorset, is closed for BT Openreach works

The NHS states the typical lifespan of a hot water bottle is around two years and that beyond this, the risk of damage increases

An “external person” may have been able to access the link to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)’s fiscal outlook which was published prematurely before the Budget, the head of the watchdog has said.

Staff in Bridport are delighted to reopen a pharmacy under new administration after months of ‘living in hell’

FARMERS are becoming increasingly 'desperate' following yet another mass protest against proposed changes to inheritance tax

DRIVERS are being warned to make sure their windscreens are fully defrosted before setting off